Method and device for manufacturing microneedle having coating part on tip thereof
The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a microneedle containing a coating part on a needle tip and an apparatus used for the method. When a microneedle is manufactured using the coating method and apparatus according to the present disclosure, a coating part in which a target material is impregnated can be easily inserted into skin and effective dissolution is possible. Further, the target material is allowed to show excellent skin permeability with the dissolution of the coating part of the microneedle manufactured according to the present disclosure, thereby a quantitative amount of target material can be effectively delivered into the skin.
1. A method for manufacturing a microneedle comprising a coating part on a needle tip, comprising
(i) preparing a microneedle mold having a double-layered structure, by attaching a second layer comprising a masking film having holes on top of a first layer comprising a mold having microneedle-shaped fine engraved patterns,
wherein there is no misalignment between the holes of the masking film and the microneedle-shaped fine engraved patterns;
(ii) injecting a needle-forming polymer composition into the mold having the double-layered structure;
(iii) curing the injected composition to form a microneedle structure;
(iv) removing the first layer to expose a needle tip of the formed structure;
(v) coating the exposed needle tip with a coating solution; and
(vi) removing the second layer,
wherein the step (i) is carried out before the step (ii); and wherein the step (v) is carried out before the step of (vi).
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the masking film comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of silicone, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, poly vinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating solution comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and saccharide.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the coating solution further comprises one or more active ingredients selected from nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, lipids, drugs and vaccines.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the needle-forming polymer composition comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid; biodegradable polymers including poly(lactide), poly(glycolide), poly(lactide-co-glycolide), polyanhydride, polyorthoester, polyetherester, polycaprolactone, polyesteramide, poly(butyric acid), poly(valeric acid), polyurethane and copolymers thereof; and non-biodegradable polymers including polyacrylate, ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer, acrylic substituted cellulose acetate, non-degradable polyurethane, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl imidazole), chlorosulphonate polyolefins, polyethylene oxide and copolymers thereof.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating step (v) is performed by a method of dipping or spraying.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adhering a support containing an adhesive to the formed microneedle structure between the steps iii) and iv).
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the support is a skin adhesive patch.